Adjustable clamping tool



` Nov. 29, 1938. D. c. SMITH 2,38,245

ADJUSTABLE GLAMPING T001I Filed Oct. so, 19:57

L l l, i lf2-.1U

ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 29, 1938 i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE CLAMPING TOOL David C. Smith, Toledo, Ohio, assigner to himself and Orville S. Brumback, Toledo, Ohio Application October 30, 1937, Serial No. 171,855

3- Claims. (Cl. 1421-305) This invention relates to adjustable clamp- Figure l is a fragmentary elevation of a ing tools of the type hating a pair of clamping wrench showing another embodiment;

members relatively movable toward and away Figure l1 is a transverse sectional elevation from each other, one member being slidable in substantially on the line II--II of Figure l0;

order quickly to engage the work and thereafter and 5 by a screw action afford the usual adjustment Figure l2 is a sectional View substantially on for securely tightening members against the the line I2--I2 of Figure 1. work. An embodiment of the invention shown on An object is to produce a clamping tool of the Figures 1 to 9 comprises an adjustable clamp l0 above character which can be readily and ccnhaving a body or frame I@ formed with an in- 10 veniently manipulated so that by turning a hantegral jaw or anvil il at one end and a head I2 elle in one direction clamping members are adat the opposite end. Socketed in the underporjusted toward the work in the usual manner but tion of the head I2 is a sleeve I3. Extending by a slight turning movement in the opposite through the head l2 in alignment with the openi direction the members are free to slide towarf ing through the sleeve i3 is an opening iii havl5 or away from the work thus enabling the work ing internal screw threads, i5 which extend only to be quickly clamped or as quickly released. a part way about the opening I4 leaving dia- Another object is to produce a clamp winch metrically opposed grooves or relieved portions can be slid toward or away from the work but IS. The sleeve I3 is also formed with internal ..0 can be adjusted for screw operation by the usual screw threads Ii of substantially the same pitch turning movement in a tightening direction and and size as the screw threads I5 so as to procan be readily released from screw operation by Vide a substantially continuous screw thread a slight turning movement in a reverse direction, alOng the egisteng Openings The SCTGW the action of effecting and releasing the screw threads i? are s0 formed that limited turning action being automatic. movement of the sleeve I3 may be effected rel- 25 Other objects reside in details of construction, ative to the threads I5 with the rod in engagearrangement and operation hereinafter described ment with both series of threads as will hereinand, for purposes of illustration but not of limiafter appear. Formed in the inside of the sleeve tation, embodiments of the invention are shown i3 are diametrioally opposed grooves or relieved on the accompanying drawing in which portions I8 of substantially the same size as the 30 Figure 1 is a side elevation of a clamp, parts grooves I6 with which they are adapted to alien being broken away to show a portion of the when the sleeve is turned to the proper position.

sleeve; Formed on the outer side of the head l2 is an Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation on arcuate slot I9 which opens onto the outside of :I5 the line 2-2 of Figure 1; the sleeve I3. Secured to the sleeve i3 and eX- 35 Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional elevation on tending therethrough with an outer portion disthe line 3 3 of Figure l; posed in the slot I9 is a tube or bushing 23, the Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional elevation on inner end of which is positioned at one side of the line 4--4 of Figure 1; a groove I8. Mounted within the bushing 2n is a0 Figure 5 is a view Similar to Figure 4 showing a plungerY 2l which is urged inwardly by a coil 40 the position of the parts after the rod has been spring 22. Projecting outwardly from the plungturned slightly in the direction of the arrow; er 2l is a stem 23 having a beveled surface 24.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 show- As clearly indicated in Figures 4 to 7, the stem ing the position of the parts when the rod has 23 plOjeCtS ntO the Path Of turning InOVeInent been turned in a reverse direction to align the of the rod as will hereinafter appear. The bush- 45 grooves for enabling the rod to be slid one way ing Z0 limits the turning mOVenlent 0f the SleeVe or the other; I3 in one direction or the other and when in the Figure '7 is an enlarged detail view of the spring position shown in Figure 5, the grooves I8 and pressed plunger; I6 are out of alignment but when the bushing Figure 8 is a longitudinal sectional elevation 20 iS in the OlJpOSito end 0f the Slot I9 01 in the 50 on the line 8-8.of Figure 5 with the rod broken POStOn Shown in Figure 6, the gIOOVeS I6 and away; I8 are in alignment.

Figure 9 is a longitudinal sectional elevation on Extending through the screw-threaded openthe line 9 9 of Figure 6 with the rod broken ings of the head I2 and bushing I3 is a rod 25 away; which has a handle 26 at the outer end and a 55 swivelly mounted foot 21 at the opposite end for cooperating with the anvil or clamping member Il for clamping the work W therebetween. As indicated in Figure 2, the rod 25 is round and formed in diametrically opposed relation with two longitudinal rows of screw threads 28 of the proper size and pitch to engage the screw threads I5 and Il of the head I2 and sleeve I3 respectively.

In operation when the rod 25 is turned in a counterclockwise direction (Figures 4 to 6), the

teeth in one row 28 engage the unbeveled side of the stem 23 and positively turn the sleeve to the position shown in Figure 6 in which position, as above indicated, the pairs of grooves i3 and i8 are in alignment. This enables the rod 25 to be slidingly moved toward or away from the work W. Assuming that the rod 25 has been moved into engagement with the work W, then by turning the rod 25 in a clockwise direction, the frictional engagement between the rod 25 and the stem 23 will be suicient to cause the sleeve I3 to turn in a clockwise direction until the bushing or sleeve 23 is brought into engagement with the opposite end of the slot I9. Continued turning movement of the rod 25 in the same direction will force the foot 27 into more intimate engagement with the work W, the pin or stem 23 yielding or being forced inwardly by engagement of the threads 23 with the beveled side 2li of the pin or stem 23. Thus, the rod can be turned in the usual manner to tighten the clamp against the work but as above indicated a partial turning of the rod 25 in the opposite direction, which movement is limited by engagement oi the sleeve or bushing 2G with the opposite end of the slot I9, enables the rod to be abruptly slid away from the work. Attention is drawn to Figures 8 and 9, the former showing the position of the sleeve relative to the internal threads i5 of the head I2 and showing the grooved portions i3 and I3 out of alignment whereas Figure 9 shows the grooved portions IB and I8 in alignment.

In the embodiment of the invention shown on Figures 10 to l2, a wrench is provided having a relatively stationary clamping member 35 integral with the longitudinal bar 3| on the inner longitudinal side of which are formed a row of screw threads 32. Slidable along the bar 3i is a relatively movable clamping member 33 formed with a lateral opening 34 in which are disposed a pair of externally screw-threaded adjusting members 35 and 36 rotatably mounted on a pin 31 carried by the clamping member 33. The members 35 and 35 threadedly engage the threads 32 on the bar 3I and when these members are rotated together the clamping member 33 is adjusted toward or away from the member 3U depending upon the direction of rotation. Each of the screw-threaded members 35 and 36 is formed with a grooved or relieved portion 38 which portions, when brought into alignment with each other, bridge over the screw threads 32 and enable the clamping member 33 to be slid along the bar 3l toward or away from the clamping member 3U. As indicated in Figures 10 and 11, the screw-threaded members 35 and 36 are formed respectively with cutout portions 39 and 4D which enable these members to have limited rotative movements relative to each other, such movements being suiicient to bring the grooved or relieved surfaces 38 into and out of registration for the purpose above indicated. Thus, the clamping member 33 can be abruptly moved toward and away from the clamping member 30 and when adjusted to the desired position by imparting the relative movement between the screw-threaded members 35 and 33 and thereafter turning these members simultaneously, the clamping member 33 can be tightened against the work or adjusted closer to the clamping member 30.

Although I have shown and described embodiments of my invention as applied to C clamps and wrenches, it is to be understood that the invention has much wider application. For eX- ample, it can be embodied in various kinds of adjustable clamp tools and is admirably adapted for surgical instruments, calipers, pliers, jigs and fixtures, and other tools of similar nature, The above description is given by way of illustration and numerous changes in details of construction, arrangement and operation may be effected without departing from the spirit of the invention especially as dened in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. An adjustable clamp comprising a frame having a xed arm and a head, a sleeve socketed in said head, said head and sleeve having interior screw threads adapted to be aligned with each other to provide a continuous threaded portion and longitudinal grooves adapted to register with each other, a rod having mutilated threads engaging the threads on said head and sleeve when the grooves are not in registration, said rod being adapted to slide relative to said head when the grooves are in alignment with the threaded portion of the rod, and means operable upon turning of said rod in one direction or the other to impart limited turning movements to the sleeve to bring said grooves into or out of alignment respectively.

2. An adjustable clamp comprising a support having internal screw threads and opposed longitudinal relieved portions, a sleeve carried by said support having internal screw threads and longitudinal relieved portions adapted to be aligned with the relieved portions in the support, a rod having a pair of opposed longitudinal rows of screw threads meshing with the threads in the support and sleeve when the relieved portions in said support and sleeves are not in alignment, said rod being slidable longitudinally when said relieved portions are aligned with the rows of screw threads, and means for turning said sleeve to bring said relieved portions into and out of alignment.

3. An adjustable clamp comprising a frame having internal screw threads, a sleeve mounted in said frame for turning movements and having similar screw threads, said frame and sleeve each having diametrically opposed longitudinal grooves adapted to be moved into and out of registration ,upon turning of the sleeve, a rod having oppositely disposed longitudinal rows of screw threads meshing with the threads in the frame and sleeve when said grooves are not in alignment and slidable relatively thereto when said grooves are brought into registration with said grooves, and a spring-tensioned pin carried by said sleeve and engaging said rod for turning the sleeve in one direction or the other upon corresponding rotation of said rod.

DAVID C. SMITH. 

